FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Nov 25, 2009

like, stuff and other things.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...over at AMC, I wanna rock and roll and watch horror movies all night, and party every once in a while, so long as there are snacks. What that means is, I'm talking about rock & roll (or rock 'n' roll, if you wish) horror movies. Not musicals, not rock operas...well, you'll see what I mean.

In related news, here's my old old old review of Trick or Treat. It's totally one of those movies that isn't that great while I'm watching it, but thinking or talking about it later gets me all jazzed to see it again. You know, like Rumplestiltskin. I talked about that phenomenecronomicon here, in the first annual Hey Internet! Stop Being Such Cynical Effing Douchebags! blog-a-thon. Reading my entry and clicking links to other blogs who joined in, I think it's about high time for another go at it. Ooh, mayhaps an announcement next week! Rumpie himself is excited.

Heidi Martinuzzi of Pretty-Scary sounded off on the Ms. Horror Blogosphere contest currently up and running at The Vault of Horror. I know most of the entrants in at least a cyber-fashion (some I'd even call cyber-pals!), and I read a good portion of the blogs these women maintain. Glancing over the entries introduced me to some new sites, which is always a good thing. I'm beyond flattered that a few ladies mentioned me in their interview answers.

I know it's all meant to be in good fun, and maybe you'll think I'm being an old fart about it, but I find that my views on the affair are in line with Martinuzzi's, who writes,

Despite being a contest amongst bloggers, who are writers and journalists, each entry requires a photo of the lady and a bio. Which begs the question - why aren't they just being judged on the quality of their blog and writing? Answer: because it is never too late to judge women based on their looks...

Read the rest of her post here. It's commendable to draw attention to the fact that there are, indeed, plenty of women out there writing about horror movies. As with men writing about horror movies, the blogs all have different voices, different spins- although it seems to me that this contest doesn't celebrate that fact. Yes, there are links to each entrant's respective blog, but...why not talk about their writing in the interviews? Where are the writing samples? There are the obligatory questions about the genesis of the blogs and the inspiration these women find, but those questions are right alongside photos of the authors and questions about which horror movie characters they'd like to fuck.

Really?

And in the end, they're all pitted against each other in a sort of Miss Grand National Star Grand Supreme (you know, the horror edition) so we can vote and choose which one is the best. Because it has to be a competition, yeah? There can't simply be a spotlight thrown on each blog where we learn about new writers and their sites...after all, they're women.

These women need to get back in the kitchen and bake some apple pies... filled with razor blades. Jesus, the whole contest is bullcrap. I don't read blogs to check out hot women. I read them because I want to know what other people think about a subject I love: movies. Pointing out female writers is fine if it's about the actual writing, because in this case, horror is not always something traditionally associated with having a large female fan base. I often find that I get an interesting and fresh perspective from the other sex. Why can that not be the sole reason for this contest? Well, because there's a lot of male horror fans who still live in their parents basements, I guess.

The women who run these blogs will only be objectified if they allow themselves to be. Brian asked for a simple photograph, not a shot of them spread eagle. The seemingly sexist questions are clearly in good fun as well.

In the end it gets the word out about a great group of bloggers who might otherwise slip through the cracks. People don't read based on the looks of the author, especially when the pictures are relegated to a simple head shot or candid photo. They're going to read them based on their skills as writers.

This whole time I've been reading horror blogs by women because I assumed they were, y'know, hot women who fantasized about being terrorized by Angela from Sleepaway Camp. Now there's a contest where us slobbering male readers can get visual confirmation of their assumptions, and there are complaints?

Usually, I quite enjoy The Vault of Horror (although I find B-Sol's elitist stance on horror a bit unnerving at times), but regarding this contest, I'm with you & Mrs. Martinuzzi – it's tacky. The blogs should be judged and not the women who write them. I've got to admit, though: When I first read about it, I was actually kind of bummed that Final Girl wasn't among the contestants because, initially, I thought your blog had been overlooked. But after some closer reading, I came to the conclusion that you probably had been asked to participate, but you had politely declined.

Friends and family will vote for who they know. It's getting the vote of your fellow horror bloggers (male or female) that says something about your writing because they will vote on your posts and not your looks.

And if you've supported my blog, its more easy enough to support yours. Selfish yes, but damn true.

Yes, "Scary Studs" is exploitative, and it's meant to be. I imagine Heidi started it to level the playing field a bit, to counter all of the "hot women in horror" sites and features. Judging women in that fashion is the standard, and I think Heidi's intent is to say "Well, women can be sexist jerks, too", because women most certainly can.

The difference, I think, is that "Scary Studs" is what it is, and it doesn't claim to be anything else. If Pretty-Scary ran a feature on male horror authors, purportedly about their work, and asked Scary Stud-style questions...that would be the equivalent to Miss H B.

I don't think B Sol had bad intentions with this contest, and I'm glad it's driving traffic to these blogs. Obviously the women who participated are fine with the entire affair, and that's their prerogative.

I'm not going to apologize for having a dissenting opinion on it, however.

I must say, I can see both sides here, however, Heidi's comments do strike me as needlessly rude and confrontational and after looking at the "Scary Stud" competition, I also must add that I'm not sure if I believe the "level the playing field" explanation either, mostly, I suppose because it's rather hard to give someone the benefit of the doubt who appears so unwilling to do the same when it comes to others.

I figure the Vault of Horror does a lot of horror-blog-community-type events, and this is one of 'em. Take it in the spirit with which it was given. I found a bunch of cool new blogs that I was unaware of. That means the contest has reached it's goal, with me at least.

Stacy, I like your answer here in the comments section:

"Did you vote? Nope. I did read the interviews and add some new blogs to my watch list, though."

My goodness thank you for reminding me why Rumplestitlskin is indeed a great feat of filmmaking. And you're totally right about how it gets better when you think back on it. I didn't realize until after viewing that the heroine played Ivy Crane on Passions, which somehow after the fact, made her the best actress ever to grace a straight-to-video movie produced by the makers of Leprechaun.

But ahh, I've left a way too long explanation of my take on Ms. Blogosphere over at Pretty/Scary and I'll just give a quick rehash here:

-we were asked to submit pictures but never in a sexualized Playboy way. -one of the questions was "does image matter to a female blogger?" which was answered in different ways by each participant, simply because for some, it simply does matter more than to others. My response was "probably, but I don't care" because I've never had anyone read or not read my blog based on my looks. I'm sure some of the bloggers get more (or less) hits because of photos, but in no way was the contest meant to promote that.-I don't consider Marry/Bang/Kill an offensive question because I took it as a measurement of our personalities rather than an invitation to picture us naked with a machete. I feel like I know the romantic inclinations of many a blogger and podcaster simply because such a tidbit inevitably creeps into informal writing and movie chatting.

I do respect and appreciate Heidi's opinion because in theory, a "pageant" for female writers is certainly offensive and sexist. But I firmly believe it wasn't intended to be so. I don't believe anybody reading a horror blog is really taking the time to glance through photos to vote the hottest blogger; either they're voting for their friend or, in a best case scenario, actually reading the blogs and choosing the one they most respect.

But bleh to unnecessary controversy! Let's forget our worries with a big bowl of go-kart races.

Yes, God forbid you be asked to enter in friendly competition against one another. It's true, I respect a woman more when I have no clue what she looks like. Wasn't this contest to raise awareness about female horror writers? Wouldn't seeing those people be part of being aware? Why are you complaining about an arbitrary award that means nothing when everybody gains notoriety just for competing.

Getting all uptight over something as ridiculous as this doesn't really help female writers' cases for being taken seriously when you're complaining about having your picture shown with your writing just because you have a vagina.

If that ugly bastard Stephen King can be a superstar with his ugly cross-eyed mug adorning the back of his book jackets then I think you can manage to be recognized for your own merits.

You're absolutely right- as a writer, I'm much more likely to be taken seriously if I tell everyone I'd rather sleep with Michael Myers than Freddy Krueger instead of just expressing my opinion over a contest.

The contest sits right with some people, and it doesn't sit right with others, end of story.